Control of cell division by nutrients, and ER stress signaling in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Cell cycle progression of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells was monitored in continuous cultures limited for glucose or nitrogen. The G1 cell cycle phase, before initiation of DNA replication, did not exclusively expand when growth rate decreased. Especially during nitrogen limitation, non-G1 phases expanded almost as much as G1. In addition, cell size remained constant as a function of growth rate. These results contrast with current views that growth requirements are met before initiation of DNA replication, and suggest that distinct nutrient limitations differentially impinge on cell cycle progression. Therefore, multiple mechanisms are hypothesized to regulate the coordination of cell growth and cell division. Genetic interactions were identified between the dose-dependent cell-cycle regulator 2 (DCR2) phosphatase and genes involving in secretion/unfolded protein response pathway, including IRE1, through a genome-wide dominant negative genetic approach. Accumulation of unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum triggers the unfolded protein response (UPR). How the UPR is downregulated is not well understood. Inositol requirement 1 (IRE1) is an endoplasmic reticulum transmembrane UPR sensor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. When the UPR is triggered, Ire1p is autophosphorylated, on Ser 840 and Ser 841, inducing the cytosolic endonuclease activity of Ire1p, thereby initiating the splicing and translational de-repression of HAC1 mRNA. Homologous to Atf/Creb1 (Hac1p) activates UPR transcription. We found that that Dcr2p phosphatase functionally and physically interacts with Ire1p. Overexpression of DCR2, but not of a catalytically inactive DCR2 allele, significantly delays HAC1 splicing and sensitizes cells to the UPR. Furthermore, Dcr2p physically interacts in vivo with Ire1p-S840E, S841E, which mimics phosphorylated Ire1p, and Dcr2p dephosphorylates Ire1p in vitro. Our results are consistent with de-phosphorylation of Ire1p being a mechanism for antagonizing UPR signaling

Defined Single-Gene and Multi-Gene Deletion Mutant Collections in Salmonella enterica sv Typhimurium

Artículo de publicación ISIWe constructed two collections of targeted single gene deletion (SGD) mutants and two collections of targeted multi-gene deletion (MGD) mutants in Salmonella enterica sv Typhimurium 14028s. The SGD mutant collections contain (1), 3517 mutants in which a single gene is replaced by a cassette containing a kanamycin resistance (KanR) gene oriented in the sense direction (SGD-K), and (2), 3376 mutants with a chloramphenicol resistance gene (CamR) oriented in the antisense direction (SGD-C). A combined total of 3773 individual genes were deleted across these SGD collections. The MGD collections contain mutants bearing deletions of contiguous regions of three or more genes and include (3), 198 mutants spanning 2543 genes replaced by a KanR cassette (MGD-K), and (4), 251 mutants spanning 2799 genes replaced by a CamR cassette (MGD-C). Overall, 3476 genes were deleted in at least one MGD collection. The collections with different antibiotic markers permit construction of all viable combinations of mutants in the same background. Together, the libraries allow hierarchical screening of MGDs for different phenotypic followed by screening of SGDs within the target MGD regions. The mutants of these collections are stored at BEI Resources (www.beiresources.org) and publicly available

Dcr2 targets Ire1 and downregulates the unfolded protein response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Accumulation of unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum triggers the unfolded protein response (UPR). How the UPR is downregulated is not well understood. Inositol requirement 1 (Ire1) is an endoplasmic reticulum transmembrane UPR sensor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. When the UPR is triggered, Ire1 is autophosphorylated, on Ser 840 and Ser 841, inducing the cytosolic endonuclease activity of Ire1, thereby initiating the splicing and translational de-repression of HAC1 mRNA. Homologous to Atf/Creb1 (Hac1) activates UPR transcription. Here, we report that the dose-dependent cell-cycle regulator 2 (Dcr2) phosphatase functionally and physically interacts with Ire1. We identified genetic interactions between DCR2 and genes, including IRE1, which are involved in secretory processes. Overexpression of DCR2, but not of a catalytically inactive DCR2 allele, significantly delays HAC1 splicing and sensitizes cells to the UPR. Furthermore, Dcr2 physically interacts in vivo with Ire1-S840E,S841E, which mimics phosphorylated Ire1, and Dcr2 de-phosphorylates Ire1 in vitro. Our results are consistent with de-phosphorylation of Ire1 being a mechanism for antagonizing UPR signalling

Gid8p (Dcr1p) and Dcr2p Function in a Common Pathway To Promote START Completion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

How cells determine when to initiate DNA replication is poorly understood. Here we report that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae overexpression of the dosage-dependent cell cycle regulator genes DCR2 (YLR361C) and GID8 (DCR1/YMR135C) accelerates initiation of DNA replication. Cells lacking both GID8 and DCR2 delay initiation of DNA replication. Genetic analysis suggests that Gid8p functions upstream of Dcr2p to promote cell cycle progression. DCR2 is predicted to encode a gene product with phosphoesterase activity. Consistent with these predictions, a DCR2 allele carrying a His338 point mutation, which in known protein phosphatases prevents catalysis but allows substrate binding, antagonized the function of the wild-type DCR2 allele. Finally, we report genetic interactions involving GID8, DCR2, and CLN3 (which encodes a G(1) cyclin) or SWI4 (which encodes a transcription factor of the G(1)/S transcription program). Our findings identify two gene products with a probable regulatory role in the timing of initiation of cell division

Strategy for Deriving Sacramento Model Parameters Using Soil Properties to Improve Its Runoff Simulation Performances

Physically-based parameter estimations are essential to improve the simulation performance of a hydrologic model and to produce physically reasonable parameters with spatial consistency. This study proposed a parameter derivation strategy to improve the Sacramento Soil Moisture Accounting (SAC-SMA) model simulation performance based on the publicly accessible Harmonized World Soil Database (HWSD). The HWSD soil properties were used to estimate the soil moisture characteristics, and the HWSD soil texture classifications and International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) land cover types were used to identify the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) runoff curve number (CN). After the soil moisture characteristics and CNs were identified, the major parameters of the SAC-SMA model were derived. The simulation results were evaluated using the Nash efficiency coefficient (NSEC), and Free Search (FS) algorithm was used to further adjust and calibrate the parameters. Compared with the simulation accuracy (NSEC = 0.66~0.88) and parameter transferability (NSEC = 0.22~0.83) obtained for the SAC-SMA model using directly calibrated parameters, the HWSD data-derived parameters allowed the SAC-SMA model to achieve a similar simulation accuracy (NSEC = 0.65~0.86) and a better transferability (NSEC = 0.61~0.85)

Abrogation of the Twin Arginine Transport System in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Leads to Colonization Defects during Infection

TatC (STM3975) is a highly conserved component of the Twin Arginine Transport (Tat) systems that is required for transport of folded proteins across the inner membrane in gram-negative bacteria. We previously identified a ΔtatC mutant as defective in competitive infections with wild type ATCC14028 during systemic infection of Salmonella-susceptible BALB/c mice. Here we confirm these results and show that the ΔtatC mutant is internalized poorly by cultured J774-A.1 mouse macrophages a phenotype that may be related to the systemic infection defect. This mutant is also defective for short-term intestinal and systemic colonization after oral infection of BALB/c mice and is shed in reduced numbers in feces from orally infected Salmonella-resistant (CBA/J) mice. We show that the ΔtatC mutant is highly sensitive to bile acids perhaps resulting in the defect in intestinal infection that we observe. Finally, the ΔtatC mutant has an unusual combination of motility phenotypes in Salmonella; it is severely defective for swimming motility but is able to swarm well. The ΔtatC mutant has a lower amount of flagellin on the bacterial surface during swimming motility but normal levels under swarming conditions

Abrogation of the twin arginine transport system in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium leads to colonization defects during infection.

TatC (STM3975) is a highly conserved component of the Twin Arginine Transport (Tat) systems that is required for transport of folded proteins across the inner membrane in gram-negative bacteria. We previously identified a ΔtatC mutant as defective in competitive infections with wild type ATCC14028 during systemic infection of Salmonella-susceptible BALB/c mice. Here we confirm these results and show that the ΔtatC mutant is internalized poorly by cultured J774-A.1 mouse macrophages a phenotype that may be related to the systemic infection defect. This mutant is also defective for short-term intestinal and systemic colonization after oral infection of BALB/c mice and is shed in reduced numbers in feces from orally infected Salmonella-resistant (CBA/J) mice. We show that the ΔtatC mutant is highly sensitive to bile acids perhaps resulting in the defect in intestinal infection that we observe. Finally, the ΔtatC mutant has an unusual combination of motility phenotypes in Salmonella; it is severely defective for swimming motility but is able to swarm well. The ΔtatC mutant has a lower amount of flagellin on the bacterial surface during swimming motility but normal levels under swarming conditions

Strains.

<p>Strains.</p

Flagellins in a Δ<i>tatC</i> mutant are decreased in LB and swimming conditions, but not in swarming conditions.

<p>Bacteria were harvested from LB broth, 0.3% agar plates used to assay swimming motility and 0.6% agar plates used to assay swarming motility as described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0015800#s4" target="_blank">materials and methods</a>. Flagellins sheared from the bacterial surface from strains grown in LB (Panel A), swimming conditions (Panel B), and swarming conditions (Panel C) were analyzed by Western blotting. Blots containing whole cell lysates are also shown (Panel D). Strains shown are: (Lane 1) HA478 (Δ<i>fliC</i>::Kan^R), (Lane 2) HA690 (Δ<i>fljB</i>::Kan^R), (Lane 3) Wild type (HA420, ATCC14028s), (Lane 4) Δ<i>tatC</i> mutant (HA473), and (Lane 5) Δ<i>tatC</i> mutant complemented <i>in trans</i> (HA640). Blots were probed with a-FliC and a-FljB polyclonal sera. The whole cell lysates for each sample were also analyzed by SDS-PAGE and stained with Coomassie Brilliant as a loading control. Blots shown are representative of three independent experiments.</p